Holiday trips drop as air travel grows

Early school start affects vacations

An earlier start to the school year may be putting a crimp in some Floridians' Labor Day plans.

That is one reason why the number of people taking one last summer vacation this weekend is expected to decline slightly compared with last year, according to the American Automobile Association.

It also helps explain why more travelers are choosing to fly.

About 1.58 million people in the state will drive to their Labor Day destination compared to 1.67 million in 2006, while 300,000 will travel by plane, up 5 percent over last year, AAA said Wednesday.

Students returned to classes last week in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

"People used to take more than a three-day weekend and turn Labor Day into an end-of-the-summer vacation. But with schools back in session early, Labor Day travel isn't as robust as it used to be," said Randy Bly, spokesman for Tampa-based AAA Auto Club.

"More people are choosing to fly because they can get to their destination quicker. There's just not enough time to get where they want to go if they drive."

Concern over gas prices and the economy also may be causing people to re-think their getaway plans.

In Broward County, gasoline prices on Wednesday averaged $2.81 a gallon for unleaded regular, down 13 cents from a month ago and 14 cents lower than last year. In Palm Beach County, the average price was $2.83 a gallon compared to $2.98 last month and $2.95 a year ago.

But with gasoline inventories and refinery output down, gasoline prices are expected to climb over the weekend and stay that way over the next few weeks, Bly said.

The Air Transport Association estimated that 15.7 million passengers will travel globally on U.S. airlines between Aug. 29 and Sept. 5, just as congestion and airline service problems are at all-time highs since the U.S. Department of Transportation began collecting data in 1995.

About a third of all domestic flights on U.S. airlines were late in June, according to the department. But those woes apparently aren't keeping passengers from booking flights, lured by low fares.

Fares this summer are down about 2 percent compared to last year, and in some cases passengers saved up to 10 percent on Labor Day trips if they booked early enough, according to Farecast.com analyst John Rauser.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is urging travelers to plan ahead and provide plenty of time for parking, check-in and security screening. The airport just came off its busiest July ever with the number of passengers topping 2 million.

At Palm Beach International Airport, construction continues to limit the amount of parking spaces available there. Travelers should be prepared to head to park-and-ride lots if the airport's long-term parking garage fills up.

For tips on packing, go to the Transportation Security Administration's Web site, www.tsa.gov.

Restrictions on liquids in carry-on bags still apply. Travelers must pack liquids or gels in 3 ounce bottles and place them in a one quart-sized clear plastic zip-top bag.

They also can save time by printing out boarding passes, if possible, and checking their flight status before leaving home.

Michael Turnbell can be reached at mturnbell@sun-sentinel.com, 954-356-4155 or 561-243-6550.